Leif Timothy Umphrey - Online Memorial Website

So I should be studying for my midterm, but I needed to take a minute to write to Leify. I'm been getting to know your little brother now, we have been playing games at our house twice a week. And it is awesome, I love him so much, but I still can't help but wish you were here too. I know you would love all of these games too :) We would have had so much fun playing together. Your cousin Remy look so much like you, it is awesome because I feel you here a little bit more :) But it's hard too, because it reminds me how much I still miss you. But I'm sure where you are you are playing games too, and you are smiling and laughing, and looking on us :) We still love you so much Leify :) 

I have all these wonderful memories of May 8th.  One of being handed my son for the first time and I remember thinking he's just too beautiful.  I fell in love instantly.  Today would be the day we celebrate his 4th birthday, but we can't. And I know he would have been an amazing 4 year old, because he was such an incredible baby.  Some people say you don't know what you have until it's gone.  In my case this is not true.  I knew he was special and I knew that I was blessed.  I still to this day feel blessed.  Even though he was only here a short time we shared a lifetime of love.  And I'll always be grateful for that.  Happy Birthday Leify!  I miss you everyday!  I could love you forever, and I will.

Hey Leify.  My name is kelly, and i'm your little brother Liam's babysitter.  I never got to meet you, but from what i hear, you were a pretty cool litte baby.  When I babysitt for little Liams, and he goes down for a nap, your mom and I talk about all the wonders of the world.  She often talks about you, but you probably know that.  I was visiting her facebook page one day, and I saw a website with your name in it.  So that day, I visited the website and I started crying.  I know I can't feel the pain that your mommy and daddy feel, but after seeing this website, I can imagine it.  I wish I could have got to meet you and see you laugh, play, cry, and "talk" like Liams.  I know- and I bet you know too- that your mom and dad love you so much, and think about you every day, and after visiting this website, I think about you alot too.  Well anyway Leif, I just wanted to say a little hello, and hope all is well where you are.   Kelly.

In honor of your second angel day Leify...my top 10 memories with you:

 

1) Swimming with you and your Daddy at the pool..you face lit up with the most wonderful smile.

2) Teaching you to play the piano...once you realized that box could make noise, I couldn't tear you away.

3) The time I stayed with your Mom and you in Makaha, and I got you to fall asleep in my arms...you were so cuddly and warm.

4) That one lazy afternoon I babysat you and all we did was play grab the nose :)

5) The day your Mommy brought you over and laid you in the pack and play, I went to you, you put your hand on my arm and started "telling me about your day"

6) Seeing you after you trip to New JErsey, you smiled and actually looked happy to see me...you were only gone for a week, but I missed you so much!

7) Whne you used to "read books" with your Mommy and I. You really seemed to be into it already, and I love how you would pul the page close to you and stare at it..trying to figure it out

8) The first time I babysat for you by myself, and we danced to Norah Jones to calm you down :)

9) Carrying you all the way down Makapu'u point, because you wouldn't have it any other way..you were such a love :)

10) Everything, every little moment with you. I can' t believe we only had 5 months and 10 days...your soft skin, your giggle, your inquisitive eyes, and your smile...all of it will stay in my heart for ever!!

I know Pop-pop and I didn't really get to meet you until you were several months old,but you won our hearts over immediately-you didn't seem real up until that moment when we first held you. You carved a pocket into our hearts that is so special and everlasting. You will always have your Bubbe's heart. I am so proud of mom and dad,they have become such fantastic parents. I have met your little brother Liam,he has alot of you in him,I cried when I saw the bear Pop-pop and I bought for you next to him and he was looking at it. I knew you were there right beside him smiling and thinking how much mischeif the two of you are going to get into.There aren't words that can express a Bubbe's love but it is boundless,I will always love you,remember holding you and your smell,that of mom's milk-unique to you-like your eyes-like the ocean in HAWAII.Thank you for the rock that says LEI,I know you meant for me to find it on the beach that day and to hold it always as a way of you telling me you love your Bubbe.We hope to move out to be near to your mom and dad and brother ina  few years-but i know whereever I am and whatever I am doing you are there with your great grandma and great-great grandma,looking over my shoulder so that I am never alone.

I wil never forget the first time I held you in my arms. I was so overwhelmed with joy and happiness that I cried. Then to hear you laugh and watch your beautiful eyes taking in eveything around you, I knew right then and there your life would touch many lives. You not only touched our lives you touched our hearts. So I just thank God I got to hold you. I carry your picture with me and show it to everybody. They all comment on your beautiful smile. I too look at it every day. I love you and always will 

The day I met Leify was a very happy day for me. He came with his parents to our apartment and was so beautiful. He let us hold him for a long time and didn't mind our puppy licking his toes. He cried a little because he was tired, but it was just so amazing to meet him. It pains me that I only got to hold him that once and I wish I had been able to spend more time with him. The world lost an angel.

           i remember the first time i held him!   marie said "do you want to hold your grandson?"  i sat down and adjusted myself .  "i am ready"    marie put down the most beautiful baby boy i had ever seen!  his little eyes twinkled like his mother's did, the day she was born.    as i held him- he was studying me- i knew right away he KNEW me!  i was inlove !  my entire life changed that day for the better.

Hey sometimes I go back a year in my live journal just to see what I wrote a year ago, this is what I found my May 10... I love it because it gets me very excited for Liam to get here..

May 10, 2008
I have seen quite a few things in my almost 24 years of living. Moved around, traveled, lived, but nothing can compare to being at my sister's side when she gave birth to her son Leif. It was the most amazing, awful yet beautiful thing I have ever seen. He is perfect in every little way. We slept on couches in her room...the three of us (Tim, Mom, me) spreading out across a loveseat bed and an armchair. She pushed for 4 hours... we all sat around her and coaxed her...told her we loved her, saw her pain and did anything we could think of to make it better for her. I would have done anything to take some of that pain for her... But she did it.. I have never felt more respect for my big sister than when she put in those extra pushes and finally got that baby out. And when you see him come out...and he is bloody, and your scared at first..because newborn babies don't always look like you think they should...and yourscared that there is something wrong..what if he doesn't cry...what if all that work was in vain..but then he cries and it is the most beautiful sound in the world..and you give him to his Mom..and she is confused and time is in a disarray, but she knows that sound and she knows that is her baby..that is all that seems to matter..he is here.. that little life is in the world.

Seriously the most amazing thing I have everbeen a part of...

I remember the day we met Leify and held him our arms. It was heaven on earth. It's aches that it is only a memory.

one of the happier moments in my life in the last year is the happiness that is brought by this cute little smiley stuffed animal.  i now know it's official name:  the fisherprice love to learn puppy.  it all started 9 months ago when i was in the goodwill store looking for a stuffed animal (little one)  for our dogs.  all the little ones were in the bottom of this big box, i had my head deep in the box, and was moving animals all around in the box trying to reach the ones on the bottom.  i started hearing this sound- "hug me"    "hug me" .  after hearing those cute little sounds for about two minutes- i decided to search for where the sounds were coming from.  when i finally found him- he was this absolutely adorable puppy!  this particular puppy happened to be in excellent condition, which i was amazed to find in a thrift store.  he was soft, colorful, and had to most happy expression on his face- with bright eyes seem to look right at you!  each paw had a different color, and most excitingly- he made the happiest music!  he also taught alphabet, colors etc.  each paw played several songs, or taught things.  his nose went achoooo!  his tummy said things like- "i like you". "hug me"  "i love You", your'e my friend".  it was hard to not be happy the puppy was in the mix.  the day i saw it- i said to myself- this would be perfect for leify!!!   it was $2.00. (i heard now it is almost 30.00!)  i couldn't wait to call carolyn and tell her about the puppy!                              the next day my parents came over and my dad saw the puppy.  it was love at first sight!!!  my dad (leif) with his alzheimers could be very cranky- for years he didn't seem to fit in- he was like the age of a two year old.   my dad loved all the songs the puppy played- loved how the puppy smiled at him- he connected so well with the puppy i decided for now i would let him "borrow" it. so for months when i came over my parents i always saw the puppy- they called him timmy, sitting on their bed, but they always brought it out- for everyone to enjoy with my dad when i would come over!  i decided when i came out to hawaii for thanksgiving i would bring the puppy to baby  leify.                                            well before thanksgiving ever came around, tradgedy struck- we lost our precious baby leify.     months and months went by and one day after carolyn was expecting again- she called me and told me about the adorable puppy she bought at the store for her baby to be.  as she was decribing it- it sounded so familiar- like it was the puppy i got!    i said to her- that is the puppy i got for leify- the one i was going to bring at thanksgiving!!  she says to me the reason she bought this puppy was because at her employee daycare where she worked- another child had a fisherprice L t L puppy- leify fell in love with it- it was his FAVORITE toy!!!  it was so amazing how much this little stuffed animal has brought joy to all our lives!    now when i go to the nursing home, timmy , the puppy is always at his side- my dad  knows how to get him to talk- the animal gets my dad to sing, tap his heels and laugh!                   when my dad spent 10 days in the psyche ward- we had to bring the toy back and forth everyday because "timmy"  was showing up in other people's rooms.  he is always such an ice breaker with groups- it  is hard to be serious with timmy around.  when we would carry it in a bag back and forth to the hospital it was very hard to keep it from saying things like-  "l

i like you!"   "hug me"- people would turn their heads and laugh.  if we showed them timmy- everyone fell instantly inlove with him!!    i wish we had more "timmy's" in this world- i think everyone needs a timmy- and i am delighted liam's puppy is already in his room waiting for him!!!  so much for puppy love!  here is one for fisherprice!